I Dream of Genie
by lex-chan
Summary: When Mamoru purchases an antique vase, the elederly clerk warns him that the vase er...bottle he bought is truly the home of a beautiful, magical genie. Needless to say, Mamoru is more than a little skeptical of the woman's claim.
1. Chapter One

I Dream of Genie  
Chapter One  
by Alexia Rated: PG

This story is an old one of mine that I wrote several years ago back. Some of you may remeber this fic from then, and this may be new to some of you. I was never happy with the way this story progressed and I think it had a few plot loopholes. I also plan to use the Japanese names in this version; when I first started writing, I had just seen the dubbed version of the show, but now, thanks to DVD box sets, I have been able to watch Sailor Moon in its uncut entireity. I've grown quite a bit as a writer since I first started writing fics back when I was in my mid-teens, so I decided to put this story through a major re-write. I think the idea I had going here was worthwhile and interesting, but I just wasn't sure how to develop it. Heck, I'm still uncertain as to where I'm going to go with it, but I believe that I am more capable of going somewhere with this. For your sake, I sure hope so. :) The original version isn't horrible (certainly not as horrible as my first fic), but I was never happy with it, which is why I never made it past the second installment. I hope to finish itup this time around, but I don't know how much time I'll end up having. I plan to self-edit this, so don't be surprised if there's errors. :)Pleasereview or e-mail me with any feedback- I would greatly appreciate knowing if I should continue revising this story!

That pretty much covers it. I'm sure you all know by now that I am not the owner/creator of Sailor Moon, but I should put this little disclaimer in anyway.

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Chiba Mamoru walked slowly and methodically down the familiar streets of downtown Tokyo, half-heartedly gazing in the store windows as he leisurely passed by. Even though he was barely glancing at the contents in each window, a vase in display a case of an antique shop caught his eye. He paused to look at it for a few moments, carefully studying the rich blue hues painted on the slender ceramic structure. Smiling slightly at his find, Mamoru entered the store, deciding that he needed to take a closer look at the delicate-looking vase. When Mamoru opened the door, he was encompassed by a warm musty scent. He stepped into the small, cluttered shop, smiling at the eldery woman perched behind the counter, who hesitantly returned his grin.

As soon as Mamoru look another look at the vase, he was completely mesmerized by its intricate beauty; it was meticulously hand-painted in various shades of blue. He carefully lifted it off the dusty wooden shelf and perused the cluttered antique shop, glancing around to see if he wanted to snatch anything else before purchasing the vase. Nothing else captured him as the vase had done, so he made his way to the small, and equally cluttered, counter.

The elderly woman's smiled widened as Mamoru approached the counter. "Ah," she murmured, her voice sounding scratchy and unused. "I thought you were admiring that bottle from the window earlier."

Mamoru looked up from his wallet, startled. "Bottle? I thought it was just a simple flower vase."

The woman clucked her tongue, her bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "This is very much a bottle, and a magical one at that!"

"Magical?" Mamoru queried, his eyes narrowing. This was beginning to get ridiculous, he thought, silently urging the woman to simply ring up his purchase and be on his way.

The woman nodded solemnly. "Oh yes, quite magical indeed. Legend has it that an evil sorcereress imprisioned a beautiful young maiden in this bottle many years ago, and if you free her, she will grant you what ever wishes your heart desires."

Mamoru gazed at the woman skeptically, then he smiled politely. "If there is such a genie trapped inside this bottle, then why haven't you released her? Surely you would like to make some wishes."

The woman frowned slightly before continuing, "The genie can only be freed by a certain person, young man. Many people have tried to release the genie over the years, including myself, but, as you can see, no one has yet succeded." The old woman smiled slyly. "Perhaps you could be the special person."

Mamoru was skeptical of the old clerk's story and was inclined to believe that she may be going slightly crazy due to all the time she spend around such dusty relics. However, he has planned to buy the vase, or bottle, before learning of its mysterious properties. Mamoru nodded and smiled. "Please wrap the bottle up for me. I would like to buy it."

The woman grinned broadly, the skin around her bright eyes crinkling with delight. "Great!"

After Mamoru handed her his money, the woman carefully wrapped the bottle in tissue paper and placed it gently in a paper bag. As Mamoru was leaving the store, the door creaking on its hinges, the elderly woman called, "Good luck, young man!"

Once outside on the sidewalk once more, Mamoru chuckled to himself. Imagine, a genie! That kind of thing only occurs in children's fairy tales; such things as genies and princesses did not exist outside the realm of someone's overactive imagination. However, Mamoru had found the perfect vase to put roses in, and he was quite pleased with that fact, as he always enjoyed having fresh roses in his apartment.

Turning abruptly on his heel, and nearly knocking a woman laden with packages over in the process, Mamoru started off in the direction of the Crown. Motoki had to hear about his latest antique shop adventure.

He quickly walked the few blocks to the arcade, carefully cradling the fragile vace under his left arm. After arriving at the Crown, Mamoru stepped through the sliding glass doors of the arcade. Motoki was standing behind the counter of the vacant room, mindlessly running a rag over the same spot of the counter repeatedly.

Mamoru cleared his throat. "Slow day, Motoki?"

Motoki jumped, dropping his rag on the floor. "Geez, Mamoru-san! You scared me half to death; I hadn't realized that you came in. But anyway, my day has been fairly slow for some reason."

Mamoru laughed. "So I noticed."

Motoki nodded in the direction of the brown bag under Mamrou's left arm. "What did you buy?"

Mamoru grinned. "A magical bottle," he stated simply.

Motoki looked at his friend as though he had gone crazy. "A magical...bottle," Motoki repeated, his eyes growing wide.

"Of course," Mamoru chuckled. "What else would it be? Actually, I think it's merely a flower vase, but the woman at the antique shop swears that a beautiful magical genie has been trapped in this bottle for many years, waiting for a special person to free her."

"Hmm," Andrew murmured, as he thought for a few moments. "What if she's right, Mamoru-san?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Surely you're not falling into this woman's trap."

"Well, I'm just saying that it may not hurt to give it a try." Motoki smiled as he continued, "What have you got to lose?"

Mamoru shrugged half-heartedly.

"Exactly!" Motoki exclaimed triumphantly. "Now give it a try."

Mamoru reluctantly reached into the bag and pulled the carefully wrapped bottle out. After he unwrapped the tissue paper, he placed the bottle on the counter, eyeing it skeptically. "Now what do I do?" he asked, turning his questioning gaze on his friend. "Just wave my hands around and cry 'Abacadabara!'?"

Motoki sighed in exasperation. "Haven't you ever seen I Dream of Jeanie?"

Mamoru shook his head, confused. "What's that?"

"It's an old American television show. Nevermind. I just know that all you have to do is rub the bottle," Motoki assured Mamoru.

Mamoru looked at Motoki with the same skepticism he gave the bottle only a few minutes before. Maybe Motoki had inahled too many cleaning fumes. However, Mamoru gently picked the bottle up and rubbed to satisfy both himself and his friend.

The pair stood in silence for a few moments, staring at the bottle, watching as nothing happened. It merely sat there on the counter, looking more like a vase than a magical, mysterious bottle.

Mamoru turned away from the bottle. "See, I knew it wouldn't work, Motoki-san," he announced smugly.

As soon as the words left Mamoru's mouth, the bottle began to shake violently on the counter and silver smoke poured out of the top, quickly filling the room with a shimmery haze.

Motoki glanced and Mamoru, and remarked, in an equally smug voice, "You were saying?"

Mamoru gulped loudly and turned his attention back the blue bottle, which was still emitting smoke into the cloudy arcade. Mamoru hoped that no passers-by would notice the smoke and alert the fire department. How would he and Motoki explain this one?

Suddenly, the cloud of shimmery silver smoke began to dissipate, slowly revealing a slender figure. After most of the smoke had cleared, Mamoru and Motoki found themselves gazing on a beautiful girl with silver blonde hair done up in two odangos atop her head. She was wearing a shimmering silver white haltertop that left little to the imagination, and a flowy knee-length skirt of the same color.

She smiled brightly at the two men, her sky blue eyes dancing with delight. She rushed over to Mamoru and threw her slender arms around his neck, hugging him tightly to her small frame. "Oh, thank you for rescuing me, Master!"

Mamoru looked down at the beauty in his arms and squeaked, "Master?"

She giggled. "Of course! You were the one who set me free after those many long years of imprisionment. Now I will grant you your every wish!"

Mamoru paled. "I think I need to sit down." He collapsed into one of the many stools that lined the counter while Motoki stood in the corner, dumbly watching the scene unfold before him, as though he were watching a cheap B movie.

The genie gasped. "Oh forgive me! I am being so incredibly rude. I didn't even introduce myself. You may call me Serenity," she said, bowing slightly.

Serenity glanced pointedly at both Motoki and Mamoru. "And what do you call yourselves?"

Motoki recovered from his earlier shocked state and introduced himself and Mamoru.

Serenity nodded and carefully scrutinized Mamoru, her gaze turning wistful. "Hmm...Mamoru. You remind me so much of someone I once knew." Her eyes immediately brightened and a smile returned once again to her delicate lips. "Well, there's no point in dwelling the past, not when I have wishes to grant!"

Mamoru stood up, now fully recovered from the shock of the old woman's words becoming a reality. "Well, what are we going to do now?" he asked, directing his question to no one in particular.

Serenity sigh, becoming quickly annoyed with Mamoru's behavior. Why wasn't he more excited at the prospect of having a genie to grant his every wish? Wasn't she pretty enough? She would have to prove herself to him. "What part of 'I'm a genie here to grant your every wish' don't you understand?" she snapped, her eyes blazing with anger. "I have a very short temper, and you are pushing it to the limit," she added, looking Mamoru straight in the eyes.

Mamoru was so confused. One moment, Serentiy was so thrilled that Mamoru had freed her form her bottle, and the next, she was breathing fire down the back of his neck. Women, even female genies were all the same: confusing. "I understand the whole wishing concept perfectly well," he said, coolly.

Serenity looked skyward. "Finally! Thank you, Lord."

Mamoru glared at her momentairly before continuing, "But I have no desire to make any wishes."

Motoki's and Serenity's jaws dropped simultaneously, but it was Motoki who spoke first. "WHAT?" Motoki cried. "Are you insane? This girl can give you what ever you want!"

Serenity nodded in assent. "Motoki is correct. You could have anything! Fame, fortune, women. You name it, I can give it to you," Serenity said quickly, looking up at Mamoru with pleading eyes.

"Why is it so important to you that I make these wishes, anyway?" Mamoru asked.

"Because you're my first master," Serenity said softly. "I've never had the chance to grant any other wishes until now."

Mamoru blinked. The old woman must have been telling the truth. But what was so speical about him? How could he be the chosen one? "How is it possible that I'm your first master?"

Serenity shrugged. "How should I know? No one has ever freed me before. I have been trapped in that bottle for over a thousand years!"

Mamoru sighed, burying his face in his hands.

Serenity walked over to him carefully, tentatively wrapping a comforting arm around his broad sholders. "I know what will make you feel better!" She snapped her fingers and a gigantic choclate shake appeared before Mamoru's very eyes.

Mamoru gasped in surprised, and looked up at Serenity, his eyes wildly searching her face. "How did that get there? I didn't wish for it!"

Serenity giggled at her Master's dismay. "I know you didn't wish for it, but that doesn't matter. I can create anything I want."

To prove her point, Serenity snapped her fingers again, and Motoki was suddenly dressed a bright yellow and green clown suit, complete with a red nose and rainbow wing. Motoki looked down at his unconvential attire and cried, "Hey! Change me back! I'm merely and innocent bystander."

Serenity and Mamoru laughed for a few moments, then Serenity gave in to Motoki's bewildered cries and returned him to his normal self. Motoki sighed with relief.

Mamoru glanced down at his watch and grimaced. He needed to get home soon; he had a pile of homework waiting for him on his desk. He should have spend his day off doing work instead of ambling down the sidewalk. His life would have been so much simpler if he just would have stayed in bed. "I really need to be getting home. Work calls, I'm afraid," he said, standing up from the stool where he sat.

Serenity grabbed her bottle and stood next to Mamoru. "I'm ready when you are, Master!"

Mamoru looked over at her, his eyes wide. "What? Oh no you don't! You're not coming home with me!"

Serenity pouted. "Where else am I to go? You are my Master. You set me free, therefore, you are responsible for my well-being."

"She does have a point," Motoki piped up from his post behind the counter. This elicited a glare from Mamoru.

He turned back to Serenity, who was still pouting and looking up at him expectantly. Why did she have to be so adorable and yet so frustrating? "ARG! Fine, you can come home with me," Mamoru relented, then immediately regretted his words as he felt Serenity's slight frame pummel his own.

Serenity squealed, and threw herself in Mamoru's arms once again, hugging him tightly for the second time that afternoon. "Oh thank you, Master!" Serenity said reverently into Mamoru's green blazer.

"What have I gotten myself into," Mamoru muttered, gazing down at the beautiful genie in his arms.

-

Well? What did you think? Let me know by e-mailing me at - remember, writers love feedback! Depending the responses I get, I may or may not be revamping the next chapter or thinking up new ideas for coming chapers:)


	2. Chapter Two

I Dream of Genie

Chapter Two

Rated PG

by Alexia I am so terribly sorry that it has been over a year since I have done anything with this story! I never intended to leave such a long gap between postings, and I actually had started writing this installment pretty much immediately after posting the first chapter. I guess you could say that life got in the way! In the time since I submitted Chapter One, I was accepted into grad school, graduated undergrad, got married, moved into an apartment, and started grad school! I know that's a pretty flimsy excuse for my tardiness, but pretend it makes everything okay. I apologize for this shortness of this chapter, but I'm just getting back to writing this, so I didn't want to over-extend myself. I have some pretty clear ideas of where I want this to go, so I hope it gets there.

Thank you all SO SO much for your kind words of praise and encouragement. You truly do have no idea how much it all means to me.

Standard disclaimers apply.

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As soon as Mamoru and Serenity stepped out of the arcade, Serenity gasped, bringing her delicate hand up to cover her mouth. Everything had changed so much since the Silver Millennium. A thousand years had passed while Serenity had been trapped in a dreamless slumber during her time in the bottle that served as her prison. Serenity's last memories were of people dressed in regal clothing who stopped to chatter to each other incessantly about life's little nuances, but now, people were dressed much differently and walked much too quickly, ignoring those they passed by. Cars zipped around on the streets, people yelling out windows at each other, trading curses and insults. Buildings, which during Serenity's time had been large an ornate, were still large, but had lost their creative flair and were much taller. What had happened to the peace and prosperity of the Silver Millennium? How could so much have changed in what seemed to Serenity as such a short period of time?

Mamoru glanced over at the genie at his side. She seemed visibly shaken by something and entirely lost in thought. "Are you all right?" he queried, breaking Serenity out of her reverie.

Serenity nodded distractedly, still attempting to absorb all the sounds and sights around her. "Everything is just so..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.

Mamoru cocked his head to the side, staring at Serenity quizzically. What could be so startling about Tokyo? Where is this girl from? "So...what?"

Serenity shook her head, clearing the cobwebs from her psyche. The last battle must not have gone well, as her mother had predicted. There was no point in reliving the apparently long-dead past. "It's nothing." Serenity's frown of confusion was eclipsed by a bright grin. "So, which way to your apartment, Master?"

Mamoru groaned inwardly. This "Master" stuff was starting to grate on his nerves. He was definitely not used to a beautiful young lady calling him by such a title. "Serenity, if you wouldn't mind, could you just call me Mamoru, please?"

Serenity's bright smiled faltered. "You don't want to be my master?" she whispered softly, her feelings clearly hurt.

Mamoru sighed. How could he explain his feelings without causing the young woman – er, genie – at his side any more pain? "Listen, Serenity," he explained carefully. "When I bought your bottle from an antique shop earlier this morning, which was an extremely normal morning, I might add, I never expected such a crazy thing to happen to me." Mamoru glanced surreptitiously over at Serenity to see how she was handling his explanation. When he was satisfied that he was not saying anything to upset her further, he continued. "All of this will just take me awhile to get used to, so if you could simply call me Mamoru instead of Master, I would really appreciate it."

Serenity nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, Mamoru," she said slowly, as though she were trying out the name on her lips.

Mamoru grinned encouragingly at the silver-haired girl and she returned his lopsided grin with a grin of her own and the pair walked in companionable silence while Serenity absorbed the sights and sounds of the city.

Mamoru found himself fighting the urge to reach out and clasp her small hand in his, a feeling that left him utterly confused and bewildered. He had never felt such strong emotional attachment to anyone in his entire life, least of all someone he had only known for a half hour at best, and especially not someone who was, against all odds and rational thought, a genie! Mamoru shook himself slightly, careful to avoid startling Serenity, who was walking enticingly close to him. Mamoru cleared his throat in a weak attempt to rid his mind of such awkward thoughts. "How did you end up trapped in that bottle?" he asked conversationally.

Serenity abruptly stopped walking and turned her head away from Mamoru sharply.

Mamoru mentally chastised himself. Of all the stupid things he could have said, he had to pick the one that would cause her such emotional pain and turmoil. "I-I'm sorry," he murmured. "I had no idea that would upset you so much…" he finished lamely, finding the sidewalk intensely interesting.

Serenity turned to him and smiled sadly. "It's okay, really." Her tone was firm, but slightly wistful. "It's just that I've never told anyone what happened because I've never had the chance to, but now that I do, I have no idea where to start." Her gaze dropped down to her hands, as she smoothed her skirt and continued, talking more to herself than to Mamoru. "There's just too much. Too many memories. So many things that I want to forget…that I can't forget." She shook her head.

Mamoru's heart went out to the genie standing next to him. He was startled by the look of abject loneliness and pain in her beautiful blue eyes. He placed his left arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently, which caused her to gasp slightly and look him directly in his eyes. Two bright blue orbs bore into his soul and he was not surprised to see that they were glazed with unshed tears. "It's okay," he whispered soothingly, "you don't have to talk about it if you don't want. But if you ever do want to talk, I'll be glad to listen."

Her countenance broke into a genuine smile. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me." Serenity still had no idea how she had wound up in such a strange place, nor did she understand why she felt so comfortable around the man who had freed her from her prison, but she could recognize sincere compassion when she saw it, and Mamoru was certainly an authentic article. She could only recall one other individual who had been able to make her feel so safe and protected…

Mamoru watched as Serenity's eyes darkened considerably. He looked around him, searching for something, anything to pull Serenity's thoughts away from the dark depths they had entered. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the park. Perfect, he thought, and steered Serenity towards the rose gardens.

Immediately after the pair entered the rose gardens, Serenity's entire demeanor transformed as she took in the parked filled with roses in hues of red, pink, yellow, and white. "Roses!" she breathed. "I love roses. I thought I would never see them again!" She glanced up at Mamoru with a smile playing on her delicate pink lips, then took off running through the gardens, seemingly oblivious to the startled stares from passersby. Mamoru couldn't help but to chuckle at the vivacious genie's antics.


	3. Chapter Three

Hello again, all. This part of the story practically wrote itself, so I hope things continue in this fashion. I know the plot doesn't move forward much in this chapter, but things will start to get interesting during the next chapter! Thanks so much for all the positive comments! Keep them coming:)

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Mamoru, on the other hand, quickly noticed that people were staring at Serenity and whispering to themselves about her unusual attire, and his jovial expression disappeared. He had overheard one stuffily dressed woman remark to her companion that Halloween wasn't for a few months yet. As much as Mamoru hated to admit it, the women were correct. Serenity's flowing genie outfit, while devastatingly beautiful, was certainly out of place and attracted a lot of unwanted attention. Mamoru knew that if anyone else discovered Serenity's existence they would either throw her into the looney bin or exploit her talents, and although Mamoru barely knew the girl, he was quickly growing attached to her and didn't want either to happen her under his watch.

Sighing, Mamoru hurried over to where Serenity was crouched amongst the roses, her nose buried into the bushes as she attempted to get ever closer to her precious flowers. Mamoru hated to interrupt her so soon, so he stood close by, enraptured by the look of pure bliss on her face. Her cheeks were flushed a delightful shade of pink, almost matching the color of the roses she was so entranced by and her eyes were tightly closed, as if she were trying to remember this moment forever. A smile quirked at Mamoru's lips and he realized that no other person had ever captured his full attention like this before. Sure, he had spent time in the company of plenty of young women, but they always seemed to bore him with their superficial lives and stories to match. Serenity, though, she seemed to be so genuine and like no one else he had ever met.

After a few moments, when he realized the stares hadn't abated, Mamoru reached his hand out and hesitantly cupped Serenity's shoulder. "Serenity, I think we'd better head out," he murmured quietly.

Serenity gasped and tore her face around from her blissful respite in the roses to face him. "Mas--Mamoru! You startled me!"

Mamoru shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry, Serenity. You were so immersed with the flowers," he teased, "that I didn't know how else to get your attention."

She smiled then, a bright smile that lit up her entire face. "It's okay, Mamoru-san." Then, she noticed him attempting to covertly glance around. "What's wrong?" she asked, worry creasing her brow.

Mamoru shuffled his feet in the dirt path awkwardly. How did one explain to a genie that her clothes were inappropriate? Maybe she thought they were all the rage, and perhaps they had been when she had been placed in the bottle, but in twentieth century Tokyo, they would only be good at a party. "Well," Mamoru hedged, "it's just that your outfit is attracting a lot of weird looks." At her startled look, he hurried to add, "There's nothing wrong with what you're wearing, really. It's just that people here don't understand it and I don't want anyone to start asking questions."

Serenity seemed satisfied with his explanation, and she looked down at her flowing silvery top. She raised her head back up, and scanned the park to see what other people were wearing, and she realized that she did look rather out of place. Damn that witch for imprisoning her in such an impractical outfit! How was she supposed to blend in long enough to grant her Mas--Mamoru's wishes? She knew that she had no money with her, but she somehow knew that even if she had been able to bring any money with her from the Silver Millennium, it would be useless here. Where ever and whenever she was...

Mamoru's gentle voice broke into her thoughts and she noticed that he was pointing in the direction they entered the park. "There are some stores over there that I think carry women's clothes. Would you like to go check them out?"

Serenity's eyes widened in surprise. Mamoru would be willing to buy her a new wardrobe? "Mamoru-san, that isn't necessary. I'm sure I can make do with what I'm wearing."

Mamoru simply shook his head. "I want to do this for you Serenity." And he did. And that shocked him to the core. Mamoru had never been an extremely giving person, which isn't to say that he was selfish by any means; he just preferred to stay out of everything and not get involved in the problems of others. Things were much simpler that way. But things were different with Serenity. Serenity was different, and not just because she was a genie.

Even though Serenity was still feeling rather skeptical about Mamoru purchasing her more clothes, his earnest smile won her over. In fact, as she looked at him through her long lashes, she realized that she would do pretty much anything for that smile. Where were these feelings coming from? She hadn't felt so swept away by her emotions in so long. She nodded and smiled up at him, and soon she found herself being practically dragged to the stores across the street from the park.

As soon as Serenity and Mamoru entered the women's clothing shop, everyone in the store turned to look at the peculiarly dressed girl. Mamoru grimaced, but Serenity was thankfully unaware, as her attention had been immediately caught by the garments hanging throughout the store. Good, Mamoru though, she seems to have found something she likes.

Serenity fought the urge to wrinkle her nose at the clothes before her. Were those pants? For women? Where in the world was she? Back on the Moon, women and girls always wore dresses or skirts. Pants just weren't proper, especially not for a dignified young lady such as herself.

She wandered haphazardly through the store until she came upon a few racks that housed clothes that looked more her style. The long, flowing skirts in pale colors would be perfect. She fought the urge to squeal when she found a shirt decorated with small moons and rabbits. She grinned and held it up for Mamoru to see, but he didn't seem nearly as amused as he did. In fact, he looked downright annoyed. "Mamoru-san?" she questioned softly.

Mamoru walked over brusquely and snatched the garments somewhat roughly from her hands and stalked up to the counter. He embarrassingly added some undergarments while the woman at the counter smiled indulgently at him. He noticed the confusion and hurt in Serenity's sky blue eyes and fought to regain a more rational composure. He just couldn't believe how rude the women in the store had been! If he didn't get out of there now, there was no telling what he would do to the woman who had speculated that he had hired Serenity to sleep with him! They could get more clothes at a different store when she wasn't dressed so outlandishly. He paid for the items and the pair left the store, an awkward silence blanketing them.

Immediately after they were back out on the sidewalk, Serenity stood in front of Mamoru with her hands on her hips. "What was that all about, Mamoru-san? What have I done to displease you?" The expression on her face was torn between anger and sadness.

Mamoru raked a hand through his errant black hair and sighed heavily. Of course she would think that she had done something wrong with the way he had been acting towards her. "It was nothing you did, Serenity. I just overheard something that I wish I hadn't," he assured her.

Serenity narrowed her eyes, but decided not to press the issue further. He had backed down when she was uncomfortable talking about something, so she owed him the same courtesy, she supposed. "Okay, then." Wishing to move past the awkward moment, Serenity lowered her arms and smiled up about Mamoru. "So which was is your home, Mamoru-san?"

Mamoru smiled, relieved that she had been willing to drop the issue. He was not in the mood to hurt the genie's feelings by telling her the cruel things people had been saying about her. In time, he knew, logically, the Serenity would probably experience first-hand the evils of this world, but he did not want to serve as the introduction.

"Come on, Serenity, it's this way," he said, again resisting the urge to grab her hand and lead her down the street towards his apartment building. Instead, she fell in step beside him and they walked the rest of the way to Mamoru's apartment in companionable silence.

As they got closer to Mamoru's apartment, Serenity found herself stunned by the sheer size of the building he lived in and hoped that he lived near the bottom of the giant building. She decided that she was not in the mood to climb multiple sets of stairs after such a long and confusing day.

When the pair reached the front door of Mamoru's building, Serenity faltered for a moment as the doors automatically opened, as if they had known she was there! What kind of magic was this? Mamoru acted genuinely startled when he saw her pop out of her bottle, but he never questioned this? Before she had a chance to say anything to Mamoru, he had placed his hand gently on the small of her back and ushered her into the building.

The next thing she knew, they were standing in front of another set of doors that slid open when Mamoru pressed a button. There must be people in there that pull the doors open when the button is pressed. That seemed like a much more logical explanation for all of this. But when they stepped through the doors, she noticed that they were enclosed in a small room. Then the doors shut and the room started moving. Serenity did the only thing she could think of in this situation. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Serenity!" Mamoru shouted in order to be heard over her wails. "Serenity! What's wrong?"

Serenity looked at him like he had grown another set of arms. "What's wrong? What's WRONG?" She blurted, flailing her arms around madly. "I was willing to suspend my belief for the magic that allowed the doors to open, but now that this room is moving, I don't know what to think!"

Mamoru paled. She had never been in an elevator before now? He had imagined that she had been stuffed in that bottle for awhile, but how long was it really?

"Mamoru-san," Serenity pressed. "Where are we?" She had to know. If something terrible had happened to the Moon Kingdom, it was better to know now than find out later, as painful as it may be.

"We're in my apartment building..." Mamoru trailed off uncertainly. Where was Serenity going with this?

Serenity glowered at him. "But where is that exactly?"

Mamoru gulped. "Well, we're in Tokyo."

Serenity's brow wrinkled in concentration. She did not recall anyone mentioning a Tokyo district during the time she lived on the Moon. It was such a unique name for a place; surely she would have remembered it had she heard it mentioned before. Maybe an area had been renamed after she had been taken. "Um, are we still on the Moon?" she asked quietly.

"The MOON?" Mamoru exclaimed loudly. "Serenity, are you okay? We're on Earth, just like people always have been."

Serenity felt faint. The Earth? Well, of course, it had been inhabited for as long as anyone could remember, but her people were from the Moon and had lived there since the beginning of time. How in the world had she ended up on the Earth? What had she done to deserve this fate? Would she ever be able to return to her mother's palace? "Mamoru-san," she said gravely, "I think we need to talk about some things."

Mamoru tried not to nod too enthusiastically. Maybe now she would be willing to share more details about her life before becoming a genie. He just hoped he could handle it.


End file.
